Folding bed



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SAMUEL ll. BINGHAM, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

FOLDlNG BED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 321,572, dated July 7,1885.

Application filed July 14, 1884. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL H. BINGHAM, of Hartford, in the county ofHartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Folding Beds; and I do hereby declare that the followingis afull, clear, and exact description thereof, whereby a person skilledin the art can make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Like letters in the figures indicate the same parts.

Figure 1 is a front view of my improved device,showing the bed foldedwithin the case. Fig. 2 is a detail view in cross-section on planedenoted by line a: a: of Fig. 1, through the case and bed, showing thebed lowered in position for use in full lines, and in a raised positionin dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a detail cross-sectional view through thepivots and socket-pieces on plane denoted by line 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. tiea detail side view of the socket-piece and a part of the side rail ofthe bed, showing the pivot.

My improvement relates more particularly to the class of folding bedsknown as wardrobe-beds and it consists in certain details ofconstruction of the counterpoise adjustment to the frame, as moreparticularly hereinafter described.

My improvements are as applicable to the smaller size of beds (ascot-beds) as to the larger sizes, and the improvements are particularlyapplicable to, and enable me to use the well-known form of spring knownas woven-wire mattress.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter a. denotesa wardrobe or case ofany desirable material, as wood, and of any convenient form, usuallymade, however, in a close imitation of a book-case or wardrobe.

The letter t denotes a bed-frame of a size that will enable it to fitreadily within the upright portion of the case; 0, the end rails; d, theside rails, the latter provided near the lower end of the frame, asshown in Fig. 3, with the outwardly-projecting pivots c.

Upon the inner side of the case, near the lower part of the uprightportion, pivot-socketsf are provided in the socket-pieces f, fast to thecase. These sockets open toward the inside of the case, and in them thepivots e fit and operate in such manner that the bed swings on thesepivots in a vertical plane.

Upon the under side of each of the side rails, back of the pivot andnear what is usually the head of the bed, is secured a curved bracket,g; and a spiral spring, h, is secured by one end to the inner side ofthe case or Wardrobe and by the other is removably attachable to thelower end of the side rail. A part of the spring lies against the curvedface of the bracket, that may be grooved to prevent lateral displacementof the spring as it is extended and contracted by the swinging of thebed between its vertical and horizontal positions, and the spring issecured as described in order to get a sufficient length of spring tooperate well in the comparatively limited space afforded in the bottomof the case.

The object of the bracket is of course to keep the length of the shortarm of the lever in such relation to the change in weight as the bed isswung between the upper and lower limits of its play that thecounterbalance pull of the spring shall also change and be of sufficienteffect when the bed is in its horizontal position to require but littleadded lifting force to raise the bed.

The case and bed-frame in my improved device having been constructedsubstantially as shown as to the respective parts, the head or lower endof the frame is inserted in the case above the socket-pieces, the framebeing held in a nearly vertical position, and the pivots are slippedinto their respective sockets. Each spring is then attached to the caseand to the frame, and the latter is ready for use so far as the raisingand lowering of the bed is concerned.

I am aware that wardrobebedsteads have been made with the bedsteadpivotally supported in the case, and having a system of connectedsprings to counterpoise the weight of the bed in opening and closing, asset forth in Fatents to A. Orthleib, No. 254,501, and T. gaxton, No.253,768; and the combination of a counterpoising spring with the foldingbedstead I do not broadly claim, the main feature the frame bearing thecurved bracket in the of my improvement residing in the peculiar planeof motion of the frame, and the spring combination of the parts, asabove described, attached to both the case and the bed-frame wherebysimplicity of construction anda great and with part of its length lyingagainst the 5 cfficier. cy in the great length of springis gained curvedside of the bracket when the bed-frame 1 by the introduction of thebracket to change is horizontal, all substantially as described.

the direction of the pull of the spring. SAMUEL H. BINGHAM.

I claim as my invention Witnesses: In combination, a bed-supporting caseand CHAS. L. BURDETT,

o a bed-frame pivotally suspended in the case, E. F. DIMOOK.

